Sophie Artery Topics in Literature Mrs. Carty 30 January 2023 Dehumanization of Human Society In literature authors commonly portray life problems through their characters. Although Kafka further refuses to admit the true meaning of his story The Metamorphosis it can be seen as a metaphor for how human society commonly treats men. In The Metamorphosis Kafka uses Gregor to illustrate the dehumanization of men in society. The beginning aspect of the dehumanization Gregor faces is Gregor is seen as being useful for work and nothing more, alike the stereotypical view of many men in today’s society. Very similar to the bee, as they are seen to work for the queen and not much more. Gregor dedicates his life to providing for his family, and never …show more content…
After reading author Kafka’s letter to his father it can be seen how the treatment of Gregor reflects the treatment Kafka endures in his home. Gregor’s family slowly begins to treat him more and more like an insect, he is forced to listen to his family from afar. “At first, whenever the conversation turned to the necessity of earning money, Gregor would let go of the door and throw himself down on the cool leather sofa which stood beside it, for he felt hot with shame and grief” (Kafka 27). Again, Gregor is left feeling that his only position in the family is making money. Now as he is unable to work he feels that he no longer belongs and has left his family in trouble. This reflects back to the letter Kafka wrote to his father in which he describes “you do charge me with coldness, estrangements, and ingratitude.” These three words describe exactly how most humans would treat any pest found within their vicinity. Gregor’s metamorphosis into a beetle reflects how Kafka undergoes dehumanization every …show more content…
He loses all connection with his family and is seen as an outsider. In the beginning, Gregor has one hope, his sister Greta. As the book progresses Gregor begins to lose hope in his sister, and his sister begins to lose feelings for him as well. Gregor’s transformation causes his mother to faint resulting in Greta erupting in anger. “‘You, Gregor!’ cried his sister with raised fist and piercing eyes” (Kafka 34). Gregor realizes that no one has spoken to him since his transformation, though he has heard his family talk about him. Grete’s words, spoken in disgust and anger, represent the first direct contact a family member makes with him since transforming, revealing the growing lack of human connection with Gregor. Now that Gregor is a burden and no longer working for the family, his family has all turned against him. The last one he had hope in was his sister, and now she has given up as well. This further proves the everyday aspect of men’s dehumanization. Grete has lost all love for Gregor due to his transformation and now treats him as he looks. The raised fist and piercing eyes are the common human responses to spiders, proving Gregor is no longer seen as human, by